Pierced nose

I had my nose pierced three months ago. It is swollen around the hole and sore. There is also a lump on the inside of the nostril around the piercing....

07/06/2001

Question

I had my nose pierced three months ago. It is swollen around the hole and sore. There is also a lump on the inside of the nostril around the piercing. The doctor said it was a chronic infection but did not give me any antibiotics. She said I had to 'let my piercing go' but it took a lot to pluck up the courage to have it done and I don’t want to 'let it go' is there anything else I can do?

Answer

It sounds as if you have got a granuloma forming at the site of your nose piercing. This follows chronic infection, and is a heaped up area of tissue that has overgrown in a failed attempt to heal a break in the skin, or in your case, the mucous membrane in the lining of your nose. You don't say if you are still wearing a stud or ring, and if so it is not going to heal without help.

In my view it is definitely worth trying an antibiotic, it should only be needed as a cream, not a course of tablets, and I would suggest something like Naseptin or Bactroban. Unfortunately these are only available on prescription, but I think you must go back and tell your doctor that you still have problems, and he or she will probably agree to a gentle request for an antibiotic cream.

If an antibiotic cream does not do the trick, then a small operation under local anaesthetic is needed to cauterise the granuloma. You would have to leave your stud or ring out, and this will almost certainly mean that the piercing will heal over. If you are desperately keen, despite this experience, when it is all settled down you could try again. The trouble is that the nose was not meant to have a hole in it, and germs collect there as that is one of the functions of the nose - to trap and filter bacteria - so there is always a risk of infection.

But you do justify having some help with this, and so I think you must go back and see if antibiotics can be prescribed.

NetDoctor, part of the Hearst UK wellbeing network
Netdoctor participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.